LANDMARK BASEBALL: Scranton holds on for 9-5 win over Susquehanna

(Posted May 3, 2008)

HUNTINGDON, Pa. -- The University of Scranton posted eight runs over the first three innings then held Susquehanna University at bay long enough to post a 9-5 win over the Crusaders, in an elimination game of the 2008 Landmark Conference Baseball Tournament on Saturday morning on Langdon-Goodale Field in Huntingdon, Pa.

Scranton (25-14) continues in the tournament, and will play the loser of Game Four, a winner's bracket game between Catholic University of America and Juniata College. Susquehanna (18-21) is eliminated from the tournament with the loss.

The Royals plated two runs in the opening frame, with Chris Psihoules crossing on Mike Stallone's slow-moving infield single to second base. Chris Bligh scored later in the inning on Andrew Outhouse's grounder to second, which was mishandled and then overthrown going to first base.

Kevin Johnson added a single run for the Royals in the second with an RBI single to score Ray Girnys. Scranton tallied five runs in the third inning, as a single, a Susquehanna error, and five walks issued to Royal batters conspired against the Crusaders.

Susquehanna got on the scoreboard in the fourth, when Kyle Wertman reached on a hit-by-pitch, and later scored on Ben Leonard's single to right field. Two more Crusader runs crossed in the fifth, with Chris Price plating one run on his RBI single to center field, and Barry Fetter scoring from third on a double-steal of second and home.

Bligh hit a solo home run to left field in the eighth to widen the Scranton lead to 9-3. John Lunardi answered for the Crusaders in the bottom of the ninth with a two-run shot over the left field fence.

Scranton starter Justin Champagne fanned five Crusaders over six innings of work, allowing just two earned runs on six hits and three walks to earn the win. Karl Weiss came on in the seventh in place of Champagne, and held Susquehanna to just two hits with three strikeouts over three innings of work to earn the save.

Crusader starter Jason D'Amico allowed six runs, five earned, on four hits and five walks in his two-and-a-third innings on the mound, and was charged with the loss.